Card games

ABSTRACT

A card game in which; one or more cards are dealt to a player; a key card is dealt; the player winning the game if one or more of the cards dealt to the player are of the same suit as the key card.

The present invention relates to card games and in particular to a method of playing a card game. The card game may be played in its own right or as a subsidiary game to another card game, for example blackjack or poker.

According to one aspect of the present application a card game comprises;

-   -   dealing one or more cards to a player;     -   dealing a key card;     -   the player winning the game if one or more of the cards dealt to         him is of the same suit as the key card.

In accordance with one embodiment of the game, a dealer may deal one or more cards to one or more players and a separate key card that is common to all the players. The or each player will then compare the cards dealt to the player with the key card and if one or more of the cards dealt to the player is of the same suit as the key card then that player will win, winning any associated bet corresponding to the game. The key card may be a specific card dealt by the dealer, a specified card dealt to the player, for example the first of a plurality of cards, or a specified one of one or more cards dealt to the dealer as part of another card game.

In addition to winning the game if the player is dealt one or more cards of the same suit as the key card, the pay out on a bet associated with the game may vary depending on the rank of the players card or cards and the key card.

The invention is now described, by way of example only, by reference to the following examples and accompanying drawing FIG. 1 which illustrates a gaming cloth for a card game in accordance with the present invention.

EXAMPLE 1

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, one or more players wishing to partake in the game place a bet on the outcome of the game. A dealer then deals a single card to each participating player, from a standard deck of 52 playing cards. The dealer then deals a single key card. Each participating player then compares the card dealt to the player with the key card, the player winning the bet if the players card is of the same suit as the key card. If the players card is not the same suit as the key card the player loses and forfeits his bet.

If the players card is the same suit as the key card, then the dealer will pay out on the players bet in accordance with the ranks of the players card and key card, in accordance with Pay Table 1.

PAY TABLE 1 Players card of same suit but lower rank than key card 1:1 Players card of same suit but higher rank than key card 4:1 Players card of same suit and of adjacent rank key card 6:1

If consequent the players card is 3♦ and the key card is 10♡ the player will loose the bet;

if the player card is 3♦ and the key card is 10♦, the player will win, the players bet being paid at 1:1;

if the players card is 6♡ and the Key card 4♡ then the player will win, the players bet being paid at 4:1; and

if the players card is 5

and the key card either the 4

or 6

, the player will win the players bet being paid at 6:1.

EXAMPLE 2

In a modification of the game described in Example 1, the dealer deals one card to each of the participating players from a pack comprising two or more standard decks of 52 playing cards.

In accordance with this modified game players whose cards are of the same suit as the key card win, their bets being paid out in accordance with Pay Table 2.

PAY TABLE 2 No of Decks 2 3 4 5 or more Players card lower rank 1:1 1:1 1:1 1:1 Players card higher rank 4:1 4:1 4:1 4:1 Players and key card of equal rank 15:1  12:1  10:1  8:1

EXAMPLE 3

As a subsidiary game prior to playing a hand of blackjack, the players have the option of placing a side bet, in addition to the initial blackjack bet.

The dealer then deals two cards to each of the players and one card face up to himself from a pack of at least three conventional decks of playing cards, in conventional manner for playing blackjack.

Before commencing play of the blackjack hands, the cards dealt to each player who has placed a side bet, are then compared with the card dealt to the dealer. If the player has two cards of the same suit which are of the same suit as the dealers card, then irrespective of the subsequent play of the blackjack hands, the player will win the side bet being paid out at odds in accordance with Pay Out Table 3. The side bets of players who do not have two cards of the same suit as the dealers card, being forfeited to the house.

PAY TABLE 3 The two cards dealt to the player and dealers card all of the same suit; All three cards aces 10000:1 (i.e. player has A♡, A♡ and dealer has A♡) All three cards Kings, Queens or Jacks 2000:1 (i.e. player has Q♡, Q♡ and dealer has Q♡) All three cards of same rank between 2 to 10 1000:1 (i.e. player has 4♡, 4♡ and dealer has 4♡) two cards dealt to the player of same rank but of  50:1 different to rank of dealers card (i.e. player has A♡, A♡ and dealer has 3♡) two cards dealt to the player of different rank   5:1 (i.e. player has A♡, 5♡ and dealer has A♡ or player has A♡, 5♡ and dealer has 7♡)

EXAMPLE 4

In an alternative to the embodiment described in Example 3, the side bets or a portion thereof, of loosing players rather than being forfeited to the house, contribute to a cumulative pot, the cumulative pot being paid out the winners of the side bet in accordance with Pay Table 4.

PAY TABLE 4 The two cards dealt to the player and dealers card all of the same suit; All three cards aces 100% of pot;  All three cards Kings, Queens or Jacks 20% of pot; All three cards of same rank between 2 to 10 10% of pot; Two cards dealt to the player of same rank but 50:1; of different to rank of dealers card Two cards dealt to the player of different rank  5:1.

The above examples are exemplary and should not betaken as limiting the invention claimed herein.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention, for example in the embodiment described in Example 2, specific pay out odds may be paid for cards of the same suit and adjacent rank.

In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the player may choose or select which of any card or cards he requires to be his personal card or cards and/or key card, by indicating prior to the cards being dealt which card or cards from a series of cards to be dealt will be so chosen or selected as personal cards and/or key cards.

While in the above embodiments the player has one or two personal cards and a single key card, alternatively any number of personal cards and key cards may be used.

The card game in accordance with the present invention may be played either as a stand alone game of as an add-on to a main card game. The game may be played as a conventional casino game, utilising a gaming cloth 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1 with areas 12 marked for the players hands, an area 14 for the key card and betting boxes 16 in which the players may place bets on the outcome of the game. Alternatively a conventional blackjack or porker gaming cloth may be used with additional betting boxes in which players may place a side bet on the outcome of the game.

Alternatively, the game may be played in electronic format, by remote betting on the world wide web, on the internet, on a local area network or remote network, or by way of scratch-card or lottery, or as a family game or game of fun. 

1. A card game in which; one or more cards are dealt to a player; a key card is dealt; the player winning the game if one or more of the cards dealt to the player are of the same suit as the key card.
 2. The card game according to claim 1 in which one card is dealt to the player, from a single conventional deck of playing cards.
 3. The card game according to claim 2 in which a bet is placed on the outcome of the game, the bet being paid out at odds which depend on the relative ranks of the card dealt to the player and the key card.
 4. The card game according to claim 4 in which bets are paid out at odds according to the following table: players card of same suit but lower rank than key card 1:1; players card of same suit but higher rank than key card 4:1; players card of same suit and of adjacent rank key card 6:1.
 5. The card game according to claim 1 in which one card is dealt to the player, from a pack comprising two or more conventional decks of playing cards.
 6. The card game according to claim 5 in which a bet is placed on the outcome of the game, the bet being paid out at odds which depend on the relative ranks of the card dealt to the player and the key card.
 7. The card game according to claim 6 in which bets are paid out at odds according to the following table: No of Decks 2 3 4 5 or more Players card lower rank 1:1 1:1 1:1 1:1 Players card higher rank 4:1 4:1 4:1 4:1 Players and key card of equal rank 15:1  12:1  10:1   8:1.


8. The card game according to claim 1 in which two cards are dealt to the player, from a pack of cards comprising three or more conventional decks of playing cards.
 9. The card game according to claim 8 in which the player wins the game if the two cards dealt to the player and the key card are all of the same suit.
 10. The card game according to claim 9 in which a bet is placed on the outcome of the game, the bet being paid out at odds which depend on the relative ranks of the cards dealt to the player and the key card.
 11. The card game according to claim 10 in which bets are paid out at odds according to the following table: all three cards aces 10000:1;  all three cards Kings, Queens or Jacks 2000:1; all three cards of same rank between 2 to 10 1000:1; two cards dealt to the player of same rank but of  50:1; different to rank of dealers card two cards dealt to the player of different rank   5:1.


12. The card game according to claim 10 in which at least a proportion of losing bets is paid into a cumulative pot, the cumulative pot being shared out between the winners of the game.
 13. The card game according to claim 12 in which cumulative pot is paid out according to the following table: All three cards aces 100% of pot;  All three cards Kings, Queens or Jacks 20% of pot; All three cards of same rank between 2 to 10 10% of pot; Two cards dealt to the player of same rank but 50:1; of different to rank of dealers card Two cards dealt to the player of different rank  5:1.


14. The card game according to claim 1 in which the player may choose or select which of any card or cards he requires to be his personal card or cards and/or key card, by indicating prior to the cards being dealt which card or cards from a series of cards to be dealt, will be so chosen or selected as personal cards and/or key cards.
 15. The card game according to claim 1 in which there are two or more key cards.
 16. The card game according to any one of claims 1 to 15 played as a stand alone game.
 17. The card game according to any one of claims 1 to 15 played as an add on to a main card game.
 18. The card game according to claim 17 in which the main game is selected from the group including blackjack and poker.
 19. The card game according to claim 18 in which the key card is one of the cards dealt to the dealer. 